Synopsis The pilot was on a flight from Brampton to Hamilton Airport, Ontario, when he reported to the Hamilton tower controller that something had come through the windshield, that he could hardly see, and that he was disoriented. Six minutes later he made his last radio transmission. The aircraft was observed to go off radar about 14 miles northeast of Hamilton Airport over Lake Ontario. The pilot and aircraft are still missing. The Board determined that an unknown object penetrated the aircraft windshield and incapacitated the pilot. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. 1.0 Factual Information 1.1 History of the Flight The pilot was on a visual flight rules (VFR(1)) flight from Brampton to Hamilton Airport, Ontario (See Appendix A.). At 1322 eastern standard time(2) (EST), he contacted Hamilton tower and requested special visual flight rules (SVFR) to land at Hamilton Airport. The pilot was instructed to hold over the bay (northeast of the control zone) because there was instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic in the control zone. The tower controller issued the latest weather to the pilot, and at 1328 approved SVFR operation into the control zone. At 1334 the pilot reported that something had come through the windshield and that he could not see. During and after this transmission, there was a loud background noise whenever the pilot transmitted. For the next six minutes the controller attempted, based on the tower radar, to assist the pilot by giving advice about the aircraft's position and headings to steer. The pilot was mostly unresponsive, repeating that something had come through the windshield, that he could barely see or could not see, and that he could not see the instruments. At one point he stated that he was disoriented. At 1340 the pilot made his last radio transmission, and further attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful; at about 1345 the aircraft disappeared from the radar screen. The aircraft was observed on radar to fly an S-pattern eastbound over Lake Ontario before it disappeared from the radar, approximately 14 miles northeast of Hamilton Airport. The pilot and aircraft are still missing. Discussions with eye witnesses revealed that the aircraft was flying erratically as it flew out over Lake Ontario. No witnesses saw the aircraft strike the water surface. 1.2 Injuries to Persons 1.3 Damage to Aircraft 1.4 Other Damage 1.5 Personnel Information The pilot was certified and qualified for the flight in accordance with existing regulations. The pilot commenced pilot training in 1953, became a flying instructor in 1955, and in 1958 became the Chief Flying Instructor at Hamilton Airport. He also started to fly pipeline patrol in 1958; this later became the pilot's full-time employment. Most of the pilot's flying experience was low-level flying while conducting pipeline patrol. 1.6 Aircraft Information The aircraft was certified, equipped and maintained in accordance with existing regulations and approved procedures. The weight and centre of gravity were estimated to be within the prescribed limits. The aircraft had accumulated a total air time of 9,420.5 hours since it was manufactured in 1976. 1.7 Meteorological Information The following weather reports are station actual (SA) reports for the time of the occurrence for Toronto and Hamilton, the two closest weather reporting stations relative to the aircraft's flight path. Toronto - Measured ceiling 3,000 feet broken cloud, 7,000 feet overcast cloud, 15 miles visibility, temperature minus four degrees Celsius, dew point minus eight degrees Celsius, wind 280 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 24 knots, altimeter setting 29.53. Hamilton - Special at 1847 UTC - sky partially obscured, estimated ceiling 2,000 feet broken cloud, 3,000 feet broken cloud, one and one-half miles visibility in light snow showers with blowing snow, wind 280 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 29 knots. One witness, a pilot familiar with the occurrence aircraft, saw the aircraft in flight as he drove his car along highway 403, heading toward Hamilton. He observed the aircraft for about two minutes as it proceeded out over Lake Ontario. The witness reported that it was sunny, the visibility unlimited, with cloud bases at approximately 5,000 feet. Shortly before the pilot reported that the windshield had been hit, he stated that he had a visibility of at least eight miles. 1.8 The Search A Transport Canada Beechcraft Kingair B90 was preparing for departure from Hamilton Airport at the time that the controller was giving the pilot his position and headings. The Kingair proceeded to the area where the Piper PA-28-140 was last observed on radar but was unsuccessful in locating the aircraft. At 1355, the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) at Trenton, Ontario, was notified and a search was commenced. Search and Rescue (SAR) conducted air searches to no avail, and RCC closed the search at 2100 EST, 25 February 1994. Police forces also conducted an investigation.